Traditionally clutch throw-out bearings have been machined from steel tubes or forgings. It has been common also to machine the bearing inner race member and the carrier bore as one integral member. This involves considerable expense in time, labor, and material. Scrap from the turning operation on the bearing carrier has been a major source of waste. In recent years as metal forming techniques and specialized steels have been improved, some attempts have been made to form the entire clutch release bearing assembly of sheet metal, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,658, for example, with the objective being to reduce cost but maintain performance. This may be satisfactory for light duty applications but is inadequate for heavier applications such as the automobile.
The method and improved clutch throw-out bearing of the present invention overcomes many of the problems prevalent in prior art constructions and techniques providing for improved efficiency, simplicity and economy in manufacture and further providing a bearing assembly of durable operation and versatile design.